Do You Bleed?
by 09MeettheSky
Summary: She never saw herself as a god amongst humans. She is the most human of all.
1. Chapter 1: You Are Only Human

_Drip, drip, drip._

The sound of rain patters across the dirty windows of the abandoned warehouse. Puddles begin to form under the parts of the roof that have caved in. A small gasp breaks the silence.

Under the beam of moonlight flooding in through a hole in the roof, Kara stands, hands slowly reaching their way to the knife in her stomach. With a small cry, she removes the blade. The clattering of the knife echoes off the walls as it falls to the ground. Her hands tremble as she lifts them to find that they're covered in dark red liquid. Looking up at the man in front of her, her eyes betray her fear.

 _Your aunt would be proud._

Just when she doesn't think she can break any further, she sinks to her knees.

 _Drip, drip, drip._

The blood begins to roll off her fingertips and into the puddle below.

 _You fought like a true warrior of our people._

Non leans down to pick up the knife, looking Kara in the eyes as he reaches her level.

 _I will admit that it pains me to witness the death of the last daughter of Krypton._

 _We have all made sacrifices to do what is best for our people._

 _May you find your peace with Rao._

And with that she is alone once again.

It wasn't supposed to end like this. She had a planet to save and she couldn't even save herself.

 _Drip, drip, drip._

Tears begin to fall.

Her breathing is slow. Or maybe time is slow. Kara can't tell anymore. Once more she finds herself in a Phantom Zone. She can hear her breathes getting shallower. She mentally begs her lungs to take in more air. In this dark corner of the city, she is utterly alone. A painful reminder of her first days on this planet.

The hurt, the loneliness, the fear – it's what made her human. Her sister reminded her of that every day.

 _Alex_

"Come here", Alex had said as she pulled her sobbing 13-year-old sister close to her chest.

"Listen. What do you hear?"

"Your heart?"

"And what's here?", her sister asked as she placed her hand gently on Kara's chest.

"My heart?"

"Kara, you have a bigger heart than anyone I know on this planet. You've lost everything. You came to me with nothing. You live with that pain every single day. And yet you wake up every morning with a smile on your face. You take everything the bullies throw at you without flinching. You never once used your powers to hurt anyone. Kara, you are not weak for crying. You are not weak for feeling. It's only human."

 _Splash_

Even her Kryptonian strength can't keep her kneeling forever. Kara's super hearing picks up the sounds of small ripples as her body falls into the puddle she's been kneeling in. Her hands fall at her sides, resting in the water. Red mixes with the dirt and grime of the water, ridding her skin of the crimson liquid. A small smile tugs at the corners of Kara's mouth as she looks up at the moon through the gap in the roof. She loves the humans of this planet and their understanding of the universe. Everything must seem so big to them – so unreachable. The moon is so distant to them, reminding Kara of the views of a young child. And she will no longer be able to protect them.

Another tear rolls down her cheek, sparkling in the moonlight.

Kara lets her eyes remain closed. The moonlight still shines brilliantly behind her eyelids. In this moment, Kara is glad that she was sent to this corner of the universe. The yellow sun and the white moon might have made her superhuman, but the people of this world made her human.

 _Even a god can bleed._

A cold, tingling sensation begins to run through Kara's veins. The light begins to fade from around her, but she is no longer afraid. If this is what it means to be human, then Kara can finally be at peace with this world. She once thought that to be human was to be weak – powerless to the world around her. Being human was to be just a moment in time, a memory on this planet. To be able to move on after making your mark. To be vulnerable without being weak.

In this moment, Kara is more human than she's ever been. Human life is fleeting compared to Kryptonian life. Her time amongst the humans feels too short.

 _If only there was more -_


	2. Chapter 2: Found

"Time to head out, Danvers!"

Alex looks up from her notes, peering over the computer screen to find Hank leaning in the doorframe, watching her intently

 _How long had he been standing there watching her?_

"I told you I'm not going anywhere until Kara's back" Alex snaps, noticing the concern in his eyes.

"Look, I know you're concerned about Kara, but she's done this kind of thing a million times. She's still new here. She's got a lot on her mind. There's a good chance she just forgot to take her earpiece-"

The look on Alex's face stops Hank mid-sentence. He doesn't need to be able to read minds to see the pain behind the façade.

"Listen, I'll get Agent Franco to notify us as soon as he hears back from your sister."

Noticing the still-present concern in Alex's eyes, he adds softly, "I promise you she will be just fine."

It has only been 4 hours since Kara left to investigate the mysterious flashes of red seen throughout the night sky by citizens of National City.

 _What could be taking her so long?_

Of course Alex's first thoughts turn to dark places, but this is Supergirl - the girl of steel. What could possibly hurt the practically invincible Kryptonian?

 _Kryptonite, for one._

Alex thinks as she finishes tying her combat boots.

Loading into the van with Hank, the pair set out towards a newly reported blast site at an abandoned warehouse. The two construction workers who tipped the DEO off had been sure they saw red lasers scarring the night sky just an hour ago.

 _Had Kara seen the lasers too?_

The sound of the motor turning off shakes Alex from her thoughts.

They're here.

The warehouse is straight out of a cliché. Dilapidated from some kind of fire, the roof is caved in and the skeletal remains cast menacing shadows upon the ground, illuminated by the full moon.

Looking up at the sky, Alex allows the fresh drops of rain to dampen her cheeks. The air is chilly and she shivers a little, grateful that it's only a light drizzle.

As Alex begins to look more carefully at her surroundings, her eyes settle on a gaping hole in the side of the warehouse. Upon approach, she immediately notices that something is off.

"Hank…", she hesitates. "What does this look like to you?"

"That looks like the work of a Kryptonian." Hank's attempts at trying to maintain his composure do not go unnoticed by Alex.

Alex wastes no time in hopping through the hole, her hands noting the smooth edges of the metal, no doubt left behind by a laser.

Light shafts cut through the darkness like knives. Each section of caved-in roof illuminates the small pools of water that have built up underneath them. Alex steps through the nearest puddle carefully, looking up towards the moonlight. A small splash suddenly echoes through the warehouse, causing both Hank and Alex to turn sharply towards the noise. Eyes darting towards each light shaft, Alex's eyes suddenly land on a crumpled figure lying in one of the puddles.

Panic rushes up Alex's throat, forming a lump that makes breathing while sprinting harder than it should be. Every sound is amplified as she rushes towards the figure, water spraying everywhere as her boots tear through puddles. Time seems to slow as she sees the red cape, muddied by the rain water; the vibrant blue shirt now stained crimson.

Falling to her knees beside her sister, tears begin to cloud her vision. Kara's face is pale - her eyes closed. Blood flows freely from the wound in her abdomen. Spilling over her sides and into the puddle below. Her hands lay limply at her side. As if on auto-pilot, Alex's hands reach for Kara's neck, checking for a pulse.

 _Please._

Nothing.

Alex is sure her own heart has stopped. Her blood feels like ice running through her body, chilling every inch of her from the inside out.

 _No._

"NO!" Her voice erupts through the silence like thunder.

A hand firmly plants itself on her shoulder. She turns towards Hank, her eyes pleading.

Hank carefully moves Alex to the side and positions himself beside Kara. He raises his fist above her chest, and with strength no human on earth could posses, brings it down with a crash.

 _Nothing._

Again.

 _Nothing._

Again.

A gasp.

Kara's eyes remain closed, her breathing now laboured. A strangled cry of relief makes its way past Alex's lips. In one swift movement, Hank now stands cradling the limp Kryptonian in his arms.

"Alex, she needs medical attention now."

Managing a nod, Alex stands, her legs beginning to regain the blood they lost while kneeling by her sister's side. Every second now counts. Her legs seem to outrun her brain. She's across the warehouse in no time, leaping through the hole in an all out sprint towards the van. Ripping the back doors open she stands aside while Hank places Kara gently inside. Alex jumps in beside her sister, closing the doors as Hank starts the engine and peels off into the night.

 _Apparent stab wound. Keep pressure on at all times._

Alex's mentally kicks herself as her brain finally begins to process what is happening. She quickly scrambles out of her jacket, bunching it up and pressing it into Kara's abdomen.

Kara suddenly lets out a strangled cry, her eyes ripping open as she tries to make sense of her surroundings. She struggles to sit up.

"Kara! It's ok. I'm here. We're bringing you back to the DEO. I'm right here." Alex explains as she pushes at Kara's shoulder, trying to get her back in a resting position.

"Alex, it hurts." Kara whimpers through laboured breaths.

"I know Kara. We're almost there. I promise. You're going to make it." It takes Alex every bit of concentration to keep her voice from breaking. Kara needs her big sister to be strong more than ever now.

Each bump in the road causes Kara's breath to hitch, her eyes shut tight. She can feel her body going numb. Blackness creeps around the edges of her vision, despite her best attempts to blink it away.

The car stops suddenly and Kara's eyes now remain closed.

"Kara I'm really sorry. I know this is going to hurt but we need to get you inside." Alex says softly.

The doors open and two strong hands hook under her, gently lifting her out of the van. On top of her darkened vision, the world now appears as a blur of colours and light. Nothing makes sense anymore. Kara's brain refuses to comprehend anything but the pain.

 _When your world is nothing but pain, you will have no other option but to become consumed by it._

Kara can no longer hold back her moans and whimpers of pain. All she wants is to be unconscious again. Rao's light begins to look more and more tempting.

Suddenly, a warm feeling spreads out from under her. She is aware that she is on some sort of table now.

"S'warm…" She manages to mumble before slipping into darkness once again.

* * *

A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry for being AFK for half the year! I finally had time to sit down and revisit this... The reviews you've left warm my heart and I can't thank you enough! I'm always a bit hesitant on writing more than one-offs... I really do wish I had the talent some of the people in this community have. Hoping this chapter does justice to the first one! Let me know what you think :)


	3. Chapter 3: Sisters

It starts as dull rumbling. Lights flash before heavy eyelids. The dull roar begins its crescendo into a cacophony of metal chairs scraping on concrete, loud footsteps reverberating off the walls, and voices bombarding Kara from every direction. With a start, her eyes are now wide open. The beeping from the machine next to her is struggling to keep up with her ever increasing heart rate. The thunderous noises rattle Kara's brain to the point that sound is the only thing she can "see".

 _Stop the noise._

In one swift motion, Kara sits bolt upright.

 _Smash._

The beeping dies down as Kara gingerly removes her fist from the machine beside her. She quickly swings her legs off the table. Holding onto the edge of the table with her now bloodied hand, Kara tries to carefully slip off the table. Pain erupts from her abdomen, sending her careening onto the hard floor below. Wires rip from her arm as she hits the concrete, forcing a cry to escape her lips. Fire seems to engulf her arm as she lies face first on the floor, the cold against her cheek offering the smallest bit of relief.

 _Alex. Find Alex._

With one arm, Kara begins to drag herself across the floor. Every nerve in her body screams at her to give up. After what seems like an eternity, her hand bumps into glass. Looking up, she can see the door handle. It must be miles above her. Reaching pathetically for the handle yields no results.

 _You are a daughter of the House of El. Now get up._

With as much strength as she can muster, Kara heaves herself up using the closest hospital bed. Her legs shake. Her head spins. Nausea almost overcomes her. Yet here she stands; A broken and battered Kryptonian, up and certainly not out.

Reaching for the door proves to be a challenge Kara didn't anticipate. It's much further away than she remembers before standing up. Her fingertips brush the cold metal.

 _Just a little further…_

With a crash, Kara opens her eyes to a new world of pain. This time she can't help but release a yelp of pain as she rolls onto her back. Blinking doesn't make the stars in her vision go away. Gingerly, Kara places a hand atop her abdomen, hoping to stop the burning sensation. When it doesn't, she curls up onto her side and resorts to willing the pain away. Kara can only make herself so small until the stitches on her stomach angrily remind her not to bring her knees all the way up to her chest.

She is only faintly aware now of the sounds of hurried footsteps growing nearer.

"J'onn I WARNED YOU this would happen," Alex spits through gritted teeth as she bursts through the door. "I should have been here," she adds angrily.

"Kara, sweetie, I'm right here." Her voice immediately softens as she gently takes her sister by the shoulder, rolling her onto her back.

Blue eyes meet Alex's warm brown eyes and for a moment, all Kara can think about if how underrated brown eyes are; No other eye colour possesses such warmth, such an immediate feeling of comfort.

"Kara we need to get you back to your sunbed," Alex says gently, slipping an arm under Kara's so she can gingerly lift the delicate Kryptonian to her feet. They slowly hobble towards the sunbed, pausing every few steps for Kara to catch her breath before continuing. Alex's usually heavy-as-lead younger sister has never felt so delicate and vulnerable.

 _We can all pretend to be invulnerable, but falling is a necessary part of life, no matter what planet we're from._

Finally, Kara is on her back, the glowing warmth encasing her in a bubble of relief. Grabbing her hand, Alex smiles down at her sister, the stress and worry still evident on her face.

"We almost lost you," Alex begins as she notices Kara's furrowed brow. "If it weren't for those two construction workers, we may have never found you and it would have been too late." Her voice breaks on the last word; All the emotions she's been keeping under control come crashing down upon her.

Kara watches as her sister breaks down beside her, squeezing her hand in an attempt to reassure her.

"Alex, I'm here now. If it weren't for you and J'onn, I would be with Rao. You can blame yourself for not getting to me sooner – which I don't agree with you doing by the way – but you saved me and I'm here now. I couldn't have asked for a better sister."

Wiping away tears, Alex looks down at her sister, letting a smile break open on her face.

"The sooner I let you rest, the sooner you'll be back on your feet stuffing pot stickers in your mouth," Alex laughs, watching as a pout begins to form on Kara's face. "Now stop trying to leave your bed before I have to get J'onn to come in here and put on his 'Dad face'."

Kara chuckles, wincing as her stitches remind her of their presence.

"I'll be up and fighting in no time, Alex. Trust me, Non is going to pay for everything he's done."

"Hey kiddo, you might be a superhero and all, but you're still my little sister, and you can bet your alien ass I am still going to make you lie in this bed until I'm sure you're ready to go back out there."

"But Aleeeeex"

 _Alex's Kryptonite: A Kara Danvers pout._

"Even Supergirl needs to take a sick day every once in a while."

"But fine. I'll bring you back a pot sticker tonight once I'm done my shift."

 _Boy, has Alex ever missed that ear-to-ear smile._

 _A/N:_ I'm pretty confident this is going to be the last chapter of this story. Not too happy with how I wrote it, but I've got a ton of things on my plate right now, and another story floating around in my head trying to push this one out. I'm pretty excited about the next story, and if you couldn't tell by this one, I'm a sucker for hurt/comfort fics... The next one will take place in Season 2 and be a hurt/comfort.

Thanks for the wonderful reviews 3


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